Gear-iron for vehicles



(No Model.)

H. o.;s-WA N.'

GEARIRON FOR VEHICLES.

' No. 381,181. Pat'entedAp r 17 18 88;:

v To all whom it may concern} UNITED STAT S HENRY o. SWAN, on osHKosu, Wisconsin.

P TENT omen GEAR-IRIONYFOYR,VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.381,] 81, dated April 1'7, 1888; d Application filed lNovember 11, 1887. Serial No. 264,998. '(No model.) I

- Be it known that I, HENRY o. swan, or

. Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebago, and

State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Irons for Vehicles; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

. My invention relates to an improvement in gear-irons for vehicles, and more particularly to an improved formfor the construction and attachment of fifth-wheels and king-bolts of vehicle running-gears to the spring,axle, and reach. j I

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved form of construction for the.

fifth-wheel, king-bolt, and attached guard and stay irons, by which the front spring, spring seat-block, topand bottom plates of the fifth- :wheel, and axle may be secured together in a neat and substantial manner that will afford a free lateral movement of the front axle and prevent improper rattle of connected parts.

A further object of my invention is to afford lateral braces to the top plate of the fifth-wheel, and attached spring seat-block and spring, to prevent improper strain and wear of the connecting-pin or king-bolt. a

. A further object is to furnish a guardstayiron that will secure the top and lower plates of thefifth-wheel together, and also permit the lower fifth wheel plate that is secured to the axle to have a free swinging movement upon its pivotal center or king-bolt. 1

combinations of parts thatwill be hereinafter With these objects-1n view my invention consists in certain features of construction and described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the fifth-wheel, integral lateral braces and cap-plate for'the reach, with the king-bolt shown'in position. Fig; 2 represents a side elevation or edge view of the top plate of the fifth-wheel and the integral braces that connect it to the'cap-plate of the reach,

, Fig. 3 is a side elevation in section of the running-gear of a vehicle at its fronteud with both wheels removed. Figs. 4 aud o are views of one of the details. I

In Fig.3,A represents a vehioleaxlein sec tion taken transversely through its centerof length. 'It is preferably made of metaLand has its top surface." The axle and its wooden cappiece are clipped togetherand their general form of construction may be varied tosuit the weight and style of the vehicle. The reach P j is preferably bifurcated to diverge from the "front end, (I, and' produ'ce two limbs, 19', as shown in Fig. 1. I i

The fifth-wheel iscomposed of two p1ates,,a

jlower plate, D,'andfa top plate, C, which latter is'adapted tolie uponthelower plate and conform to it throughout its bearing surface.

The lower plate, D, of the fifth-Wheel is furnished with a rearwardly-projecting lug, G, i

which lug is perforated centrally for the reception of a king-bolt, E. I

Upon the top, surface of the lug G just mentionedan integral upwardly-pro eeting" collar, G, is formed, the. outer peripheral surface of which is concentric with the circular edge of the fifth-wheel, and also with. the king-bolt E,

which is the center of motionof the lower plate,

D, of said fifth-wheel.

The top plate, G, o

rearward extension,-B formed on the rear edge of the base-plate B; This portion B2 is;

Wheel to register with-eaohother, J

Fromthe rear 'edges of the base-plate and at equal distances' upon each side of'thiecollar G the integralside'braces, a a, are rearf the Vfifth-wheel'is provided near therearends ofit'shalfcircleplate I with an integral plate, B, which latter 'is-in tended to afford a baseforthe spring seat-' block T. The top plate, G,'has an integral,

edges of the top and lower plates of the "fifth wardly'extended and inwardly bent to join 7 the-reach-plate 0, (see v Fig. 1, and "ii-r order to allow these parts to, assume 'their-gproper' position',considered vertically, theabra'c'es an] e are curved downwardly from the planeof the top surface of the lower plate, D, ofthefifth V 7 wheel, to meet the bifurcated cap5plat'e'O,

that is superimposed upon the; forked limbs' p p of "thereach, thereach and -platebeing f, A securedtogetherbybolt connectionatd,wherej 1 1 roe 1 i the side braces, a a, are integrally joined to this reachplate P. (See Fig. 1.) v

The height of the collar G is so proportioned to the thickness of the top plate of the fifth-wheel that their upper surface willlie in the same horizontal plane, and the king-bolt E be adapted to have its head I) bear readily on the upper surface of the collar G allowing the top plate, 0, to move freely underneath the outer edge of the head of the kingbolt E. The king-bolt E is threaded at its lower end, so that when nut is is screwed up it readily holds the king-bolt E in collar G.

The base-plate B, that is adapted to receive and give support to the spring seat-block T, has two cars or lugs, h h, formed on its front. edge. These lugs, being in line with the braces a a, are perforated at t i, the braces being similarly perforated at i t" to permit the insertion of bolts to clip the spring S to place on its seat-block T. Ata point, 0, that is longitudinally in line with the axial center of the king-bolt E and reach d, a depending lug, R, is formed integral with the inner edge of the top plate, 0, of the fifth-wheel. The lug R is perforated at the front edge of its downwardly-projecting portion, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and produces a sleeve, 1;, for the reception of a collar-bolt, which is integrally connected with guard-stay H.

Upon the lower face of the axle A the pivot-plate T is located, so that their centers of length will coincide.

The pivot-plate T T is shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. It consists of a flat plate of metal, which is of proper width to allow the perforated ears 8 s s s to project beyond the front and rear faces of the axle A, so that bolts may be inserted in the perforations and connect it with the axle A by clips or otherwise. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) V

Upon the lower face of the plate T, at its rear edge, near the center of length of the same, a depending pin, m, is formed or socured. On the lower portion of this pin m from the shoulder t a thread is cut to receive the nut L, which is adapted to screw firmly against this shoulder.

The lower reach-plate, H, is made to fit upon the forked portion of the reach I, andis extended forwardly from the front end, 0, of the reach as a single-guard stay-bar, H. This stay-bar is perforated at H to permit the depending pin or pivot-bolt m to pass neatly through it; and as the thickness of the guard stay-bar is so proportioned to thelength of the body of the bolt m that the shoulder 1. will be slightly above the line flush with the lower surface, it follows that the rigid adjustment of the nut L against the shoulder 25 will permit the stay-bar to move upon the bolt m as a pivot.

The forward portion of the stay-bar H is bent upwardly at the point it to permit its up. R, l

per end, 1), to enter the perforation in lug formed on top plate, 0, of the fifthwheel.

The portion of the bar H that enters the perforationo of the lug R is rounded as a bolt and threaded on its upper end to receive the nut I, and an integral collar, 0, is made of such a proportionate diameter that it will bear on the lower end of the sleeve 1;, this sleevebeing of such a length as to permit the lower plate,

D, of the fifth-wheel to have a revolublemovement upon the king-bolt E. The distance from the center of the king-bolt E to the inner edge, 1", of the lower plate,D, is such that this edge will move freely against the bolt endp of the stay-bar H, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and the front projecting portion of the collar 22 will have a sliding bearing upon the under side of the lower plate, D. (See Fig. 3.) It should be stated that the lower projecting bolt or pin, m, is axially coincident with the king-bolt E, so as to permit a lateral swinging movement of the front axle on these pix otal points.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the short kingbolt E is contained within the collar or sleeve G, excepting the outer edges of the head, and the projecting rear portion of the lower plate, D, of the fifthwheel, of which said collar G is an integral portion, so that all lateral wear or strain is removed from the body of the bolt, and as the braces to a of the top plate, 0, are located a proper distance on each side of the king-bolt, the side sway or rocking action of the body of the vehicle on its springs will not be transmitted to the king-bolt head, butwill be sustained by the fifth-wheel and its braces.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the top plate of a fifth-wheel, an integral base-plate for a spring seat-block, and the side braces that extend rearwardly and jointed at their ends to connect with the top plate of the reach, of a lower fifth-wheel plate, and a short king-bolt adapted to bear with its head upon the top plate of the fifth-wheel and the top edge of an integral collar that projects from the lower plate of the fifth-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fifth-wheel, the combination, with the upper plate having rearwardly-converging side braces adapted to be attached to the reachbar and provided atapoint between said braces with an opening, of the lower plate having an upwardly-projecting boss adapted to snugly fit 'within the opening in the upper plate, and a king-bolt, the head of which rests above the upper surface of the top plate and bears on the upper end of the collar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the top plate of a fifth-wheel, a base-plate for a spring seat-block integral'with this top plate,aspring seat-block, and a spring mounted on the block, of two side braces made integral with the base-plate and joined at their rear ends, and a forked reach-plate which is a rearward extension of the joined rear ends of the lateral braces, substantially as set forth.

. 4. The combination,with an axle, its wooden cap-piece, a reach, a guard stay-bar that is extended rearwardly to produce a bifurcated reach-plate, and bent upwardly at its forward king bolt to connect the twoplates of the fifthwheel, said king-bolt being in an axial line with the depending bolt of the pivot-plate, substantially as set forth.

a 5. The combination, with an upper fifthwheel-plate, and a lower fifth-wheetplate, a

guard stay-bar adapted to hold the two plates together by a nut and collar on its vertical front end andpermit the lower fifth-wheel plateto turn on its center, of the pivot-plate secured to V the axle and pivotally attached to the guard stay-bar, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination, with van axle, a fifth-' wheel composed of two plates pivoted together behind the axle, and a king-bolt forming the pivot center of the fifth-wheeLfof a lower piv-' ot-plate, a depending pivot-bolt, and a guard 381,181 I A g 1 s stay-bar connected to the axle by thepivot plate and its pivot-..bolt,'this bolt'having-its" axis ina vertical line with'the longitudinal o axis of the-king-bolt, substantially as set forth, 7. The combination, with an axle," a reach, a

spring seat-block, and aspring, of afi'fth-wheel' composed of two plates pivoted together by a king-bolt in the rear of the axle, the top plateg 5 of the 'fifth-wheelbeing attached to the spring seat-block and reach, the lower'plate of the" j-fifth-j'wheel being secured on top of the axle,

a lower plate that extends'under the axle and furnished with a depending pivot-bolt which 4o is axially central with the-king-bolt, anda guard stay-bar connected to the reach at its rear end, to the lower pivot-plate of* the'axle immediately in the rear of the axle,- -and to the top and bottom platesof the fifth-wheel 4'5 by its front upwardly-bent end, substantially g as set forth. 7 v a In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of twosubscribing'wit-l nesses.

HENRY O;-SWAN.'

Witne'sses: a 7 1 v F. W HoUeHToN,

' W. B. BROWE. 

